10 My parents started counting calories too (part 2) ...

My parents started counting calories too (part 2) ...

Hey Folx, 

A few posts back, I shared a bit about my dad’s journey losing weight. This post is dedicated to my mom and her journey. 

“Hello all! Here is my weight loss story. I’m 64 years old, female, 4’10 1/2 “ tall, 163.4 lbs, and it’s May 2019. I’d just been diagnosed with fibromyalgia and not happy with how I felt and looked. I also have had migraine disease for 48 years. I’m retired from work but my passion is being an artist.

I started my weight loss journey with fitness pal. I login all my food each day with the calories. I’m allotted 1200 calories each day which is low so I carefully plan my meals with food I enjoy. I eat the same thing everyday for breakfast which is 1 slice of Dave’s 21 bread, toasted with crunchy peanut butter, 1/2 cup fresh blueberries and 1/2 cup fresh raspberries. For lunch I usually have a green salad with lettuce, cucumbers, carrots, red onion, tomatoes, 1/2 chicken breast, and a light dressing. If I get hungry in the afternoon, I will have a bag of healthy pop 100’s microwave popcorn or a few tortilla chips with salsa. For dinner I have a meat (nothing off limits except I don’t like fish), vegetables, and if calories allow, rice or potatoes. I splurge occasionally with pasta, dessert, or something yummy. I have lost 20 lbs as of Nov 1st and it is coming off slowly. I was able to get through 2 weeks of vacation in Canada only gaining back 2 lbs and 2 weeks in Italy gaining 1.5 lbs this past summer. I persevere and take one day at a time and only weigh myself once a week. My goal is to lose 10 more lbs. then reevaluate.” - Debbie

I might add that her physical activity is quite low, pointing to the fact that the calorie reduction is more important than grinding it out at the gym. Cheers!

Mental Health Tip: As my mom stated, one step at a time. Big changes don’t have to come at once, and are often a journey, rather than a destination. Mindset at play here. 

Food Choices Tip: Eating a calorie deficit can be made simpler if you don’t mind eating the same thing everyday. I eat the same breakfast every day, and my lunch doesn’t vary too much. It’s one approach to a solution. 

Recipe: Toast with Almond Butter and Preserves (pic coming soon!). I love this snack or dessert, and at 370 calories, it’s not ridiculously caloric. Trader Joe’s whole wheat sliced bread (green packaging). I also really like the Trader Joe’s reduced sugar blueberry organic preserves, and their salted creamy almond butter. Toast the bread to your liking, and add as much or as little “ABJ” as you want! The calories and macronutrient values expressed below are estimates. I try to err on the side of higher calories than lower.

• Whole Wheat toast - 2 - 6 g protein - 22 g carbs - 1 g fat - 120 cals
• Almond Butter (Creamy, Salted) - 2 tbsp - 14 g protein - 14 g carbs - 34 g fat - 190 cals
• Blueberry Preserves (Reduced Sugar) - 2 tbsp - 0 g protein - 16 g carbs - 0 g fat - 60 cals

Cooking Tip: Go simple! Toasting your bread (my wife likes breathe-warmed bread, not toast) is a great way to completely change the flavor of your dish (versus not toasting). 

Meal Prep Idea: Some foods aren’t meant to be meal prep’d, like toasted ABJ’s. Toast should be eaten promptly after making. No debate.

Next post: Cheat meals…